Internships
Volunteer Internships provide qualified college students and adults with professional skills in various areas of museum operations and education. While we are not able to offer a stipend, we feel that our internships offer a unique experience and the opportunity to build new skills. Those interested in receiving credits for an internship should investigate this with their institution. High school students fulfilling an "internship" for their school should consider job opportunities listed in volunteering.
For most internships a commitment of 16 to 20 hours per week is expected. Generally time would be scheduled on weekdays between the hours of 9 and 5, but some weekend scheduling is also possible. We will try to be flexible in working out a schedule.
For a more detailed job description and application information for any of the internships listed below contact: Lois Kuter, Volunteer Coordinator, at kuter@ansp.org or 215-299-1029.
For undergraduate and graduate research internships go to Research Internships.
Current Internship Opportunities
Center for Environmental Policy Intern
The Academy’s Center for Environmental Policy (CEP) is a key player in the environmental and sustainability community in the greater Philadelphia region. Bringing together top scientists, policy makers, and the general public around issues of critical environmental importance, the CEP provides non-partisan, science-based information on key environmental issues, promotes solutions, and builds awareness. In addition the regular public programs held at the Academy on a variety of environmental topics, CEP also acts as a logistical hub for local working groups organized around sustainability issues.
We are seeking interns for three major areas of work:
- Social Media and Communications - to use knowledge and understanding of the digital media landscape, including various social media websites to help get the word out about our programming. The position will benefit a co-op who wants to gain more experience and facility with formal web-based and new media communications.
- Research in Sustainability and Environmental issues – to assist with research about sustainability and environmental issues that are relevant to our public programming.
- Communications to Promote Sustainability for Multifamily Buildings - to assist the Green Condo and Co-op Initiative with research about successful sustainability and environmental projects undertaken by multifamily, commercial and institutional buildings to use as a model for condominium and co-op buildings.
Communications Intern
Interns assist the communications manager with a variety of press relations and public relations duties which help raise the profile of the Academy’s public programs and science research in order to increase audiences, opportunities, donations, and general recognition locally and nationally. This is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience in a busy non-profit museum where staff “wear multiple hats.”
We are seeking a college junior or senior (or recent graduate) majoring in journalism, public relations, communications or related field. Duties include writing press releases, writing for our website, updating databases, working with press including pitching stories and hosting visits, internet research, and a small amount of basic office tasks. The applicant should have writing and Internet research skills, be articulate and able to express ideas in writing and phone calls, and be able to work independently.
Communications and Publications Intern
The Academy’s Communications Department offers an exceptional student the opportunity to gain communications and publications experience in a nonprofit, museum setting. Interns assist the communications team in this position by writing text for the Academy’s member magazine (circ. 6,000), promoting public programs, and shaping the public perception of the Academy through the website and printed materials. The position offers the student the opportunity to have his or her writing published in a nonprofit magazine and online, develop writing and editing skills essential for a career in nonprofit communications, and learn about publications management and print production.
Ideal candidates will have strong writing and editing skills, excellent organizational and problem solving skills, and the ability to work independently and as a team player. Interest in natural history or working in a museum setting is a plus. We encourage applications from students majoring in communications, marketing, English, and the humanities and social sciences.
Education Intern in Dinosaur Hall
Dinosaur Education Interns master both informal teaching focused in Dinosaur Hall and can be trained to teach more formal classes for children in grades K-8 on topics such as dinosaurs, evolution, taxonomy and geology. Working in Dinosaur Hall, interns use a variety of hands-on activities to engage visitors and students in the process of paleontology. In the Big Dig interns educate children about the process of excavation and field work using real fossils and cast material. On the main exhibit floor, interns serve as informal educators using the dinosaur mounts and touchable fossils to explain issues in paleontology and natural sciences. In the Fossil Preparation Lab interns learn techniques of vertebrate fossil preparation and explain general methods, processes and principals of paleontology to museum visitors. While focused on the topics visitors explore in Dinosaur Hall, this internship will also introduce you to the work of the Education Department as a whole.
Education Intern for Explorers Camp
The Academy's Explorers Camp programs provide a fun and educational experience for campers at the Academy's museum during spring break and in the summer. Children aged 6 to 12 participate in weeklong, hands-on themed programs that reflect the research of the Academy's own scientists. Campers conduct experiments with scientists, sketch with Academy artists, explore the museum's research labs and animals and plant collections, meet a variety of interesting live animals, and take science on the road with weekly trips. Themes explored include water, animals, fossils, nature, and insects.
Camp program interns assist at all levels in the planning and implementation of our spring and summer camp programs. This internship is an excellent opportunity to gain skills in the development and implementation of inquiry-based, informal science programming for children. Interns should be working toward a degree in science, education, or a related field with a GPA of at least 2.5.
Candidates should have some past experience working with the general public and experience with formal or informal teaching of children.
Spring Break Camp dates change, but interns generally need to be available to work from February through April. Summer Camp Interns can assist with planning beginning in April and must be available to work with the camp from mid-July through late August.
Education Intern in Outside In
Outside In is a hands-on discovery center designed for children with hundreds of natural artifacts as well as live animals. Interns work side by side with volunteers and a staff manager to help children explore dozens of natural objects and learn through hands-on activities. Interns learn to guide visitor interactions with a variety of live animals (snakes, rabbits, turtles, guinea pigs and insects). Interns master informal science education, hands-on educational techniques, and get an introduction to the work of the Education Department and the range of programs it offers.
Ideal candidates should have a love for all types of animals (and insects), a sincere interest in the natural sciences, science education, and/or museum teaching.
Education Intern for Public Programs
Public programming interns work with the Public Programs Manager to develop and implement natural science based activities for museum visitors held on weekends and holiday periods throughout the year. Interns create and develop public friendly science activities including the preparation of lesson plans and background information used to train staff to use programs. Working with the Public Programs Manager, interns also assist in basic preparation for programs - gathering supplies, setting up activity stations, and training other staff on the activities. Interns enjoy the fruits of their planning and preparation work by assisting with special events such as Paleopalooza, Earth Day, Bug Fest, and more.
Candidates should have an interest in the natural sciences and science education, and enjoy working with people of all ages. Weekend availability is important.
Education Intern for School Programs
School program interns train to teach all non-animal lessons that the Academy offers to visiting school groups. Ideally, interns would be working toward a degree in science, education, or a related field. Past experience working with the general public, formal or informal teaching and curriculum development experience preferred.
Lessons include classes on dinosaurs, invertebrates, watersheds, and classification of organisms. Lessons are hands-on and inquiry based science programs.
In addition, interns work with the Education Manager to develop and implement pre and post visit materials for school groups visiting the museum. The activities are designed to enhance the schools' visit and engage the students while visiting the Academy's exhibit halls.
Institutional Advancement Intern
The Institutional Advancement Office is currently seeking an intern or interns to assist with a department-wide donor prospecting project. The intern or interns will also support our development, membership, and marketing efforts.
Responsibilities include researching potential individual prospects, inputting donor-related information and helping to maintain the Academy’s Raiser’s Edge donor/member database, aiding in the implementation of a large data modeling project and helping to interpret results, assisting in donor-cultivation activities including the preparation of mailing lists and helping at evening events, and other projects as required.
Interns must be available in a block of at least 4 hours, preferably 2-4 days/week, on a flexible yet consistent schedule. They should be enrolled in a liberal arts program or a recent graduate, with the ability to work independently and efficiently, keeping prospect and donor information confidential. Ideal candidates will have excellent word processing and oral and written communication skills.
Live Animal Center Intern
The Live Animal Center (LAC) maintains a collection of approximately 100 live animals used as a vital part of the education program at the Academy of Natural Sciences museum. These animals, which are mainly non-releasable wildlife or exotic pets, (including raptors, parrots, skunks, rabbits, turtles, snakes, lizards, and more) are used in programs for schools and museum visitors dealing with natural history and environmental education. Interns assist the full-time keepers in the care and handling of the collection, developing an individualized training plan and independent project. Interns are trained on-the-job by skilled LAC staff and work with a training manual to move through increasingly complex levels of skills in handling, husbandry, and natural history knowledge.
Ideal candidates are students enrolled in a Biology, Zoology, Pre-Vet, Wildlife Science, Environmental Education, or related college program. College graduates in the above fields looking for more experience are also welcome.
Marketing Intern
The Academy is seeking a college junior or senior majoring in marketing, communications, or a related field (or a recent graduate) for a part-time internship opportunity. The applicant should have well-developed verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work independently. An interest in the natural sciences is a plus since this internship offers the opportunity to learn about the scope of scientific research and educational work at the Academy.
As a marketing intern you have an exceptional opportunity to learn all aspects of work in a non-profit museum. Interns have an integral role in assisting us to promote the wealth of public programs of the museum and to make better known the depth of research behind-the-scenes at the Academy.
Under the supervision of the Marketing Manager, duties may include: writing and proofreading advertising copy, writing for online and social media, creating and distributing marketing collateral, Internet research, and some basic administrative work
Volunteer Office Intern
Interns for the Academy's Volunteer Program assist in all aspects of volunteer management. Interns assist with job descriptions, recruitment, training and orientation, database management, communication and enrichment programs, evaluation tools, and research of volunteer trends and new directions in volunteer engagement. The intern would work under the direction of the Academy's Volunteer Coordinator to learn the nuts and bolts of developing and sustaining a volunteer program, skills transferable to any type of institution where volunteers are engaged.